Braiding-machine.



A. HOPKINSON.

-BRAIDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION men JAN. 20, 1914.

1,204,982. Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

WITNESSES. 'NVENTOR.

777 M eazhpzrbzaon/ A. HOPKINSON.

BRAIDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION H LED JAN-20. 19H.

1,204,982. Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

A. HOPKENSON.

BRAIDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED mmzo, 1914.

1 04,982. Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

3 SHEETS SHEET 3- WITNESSES. K INVENTOR.

(/7Z red Jib 015621452220 M my ALFRED HOFKINSON, OF CHESTER, ENGLAND.

BRAIDINGr-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

Application filed January 20, 1914. Serial No. 813,239.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED HoPKrNsoN, a British subject, residing at Chester, county of Chester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Braiding- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to braiding machines in which two rows or tiers of bobbins are mounted on rotary carriers or races revolving in opposite directions the threads of one set of bobbins being guided under and over the upper set of bobbins by suitable guide arms and the upper set of bobbins being driven by driving levers or pins which are caused to move in successlon out of contact with the bobbin carrier to allow the thread to pass under it.

i The invention consists in the special construction and arrangement of parts whereby the design of the machine is simplified.

The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section when the bobbins are nearly over each other, on line VV Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of part of Fig. 3 showing fingers d and grooves c. Fig. 4 is a part section of same on line WVV Fig. 2. Fig. A is an'enlarged detail of part of Fig. A showing slide 9. Fig. 5 is a plan of bottom cam for operating swiveling arms. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of dish or bottom bobbin carrier. Fig. 7 is a part section of a modification showing one cam for driving the bobbins and also operating the swinging swiveling arms through an annular link arrangement von line XX Fig. 10. Fig. 8 is a part section of same on line YY Fig. 10. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of dish and annular link as shown in Figs. 7 and 10. Fig. 9

is an enlarged detail of part of Fig. 9 showing cams n. Fig. 10 is a sectional plan of Fig. 7 Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail of part of Fig. 10 showing lever G and slot 1). Fig. 11 is a sectional view showing a detail of the modified construction disclosed in Figs. 7-10.

The machine is constructed with two rows or tiers of bobbins mounted upon suitable rotary carriers A and B which are rotated in opposite directions all mounted upon or around a central shaft or pillar C.

The lower bobbin carrier A is of dish shape with a sleeve or boss a mounted loosely on the central pillar C and is rotated by a bevel wheel keyed thereto from a bevel on the driving shaft. The bobbins are preferably mounted upon vertical or approximately vertical pins a carried in lugs or brackets a The upper bobbin carriers B of which there is one for each bobbin are mounted upon an annular race .7) carried by or forming part of the lower bobbin carrier A. The race 7) rotates with the carrier A and the carriers B are rotated around it in the opposite direction. A number of recesses or indentations b are made at intervals around theannular race I) over which the carriers B successively pass to allow the thread as from each of the lower bobbins in succession to be passed behind the upper bobbins, and entwine with the threads '50 therefrom.

The upper bobbin carriers B are rotated by a revolving cam ring or spider D carrying a number of sliding pins or fingers d which engage the carriers B and carry them forward around the race b. Two fingers d engage each bobbin carrier B and are withdrawn alternately at intervals to allow the lower thread 21 to pass, but one of the fingers d is always in engagement with the carrier to insure a continuous movement. The fingers d are moved in and out as required by a cam E provided with a groove or grooves 6 into which projections or pins d on the driving pins or. fingers d project. The fingers oZ thus slide direct into the bobbin carriers and are not pivoted as levers or blades. The spider D also carries'a cam H for operating the thread guides G.

The revolving cam ring D is mounted by a sleeve or boss loosely on the upright pillar C and is rotated by a bevel wheel gearing with'a bevel mounted on a stud at right angles to the upright pillar C and driven by another bevel on the boss (4 of the lower bobbin carrier A thereby giving the rotation in the reverse direction.

To the lower bobbin carrier A a number of" slide 9 is provided with pins or runners g which" engage with the grooves h of the cam H by which the slides are moved to and fro as the lower bobbins are rotated. The cam H is carried by or forms part of the revolving cam ring D and moves with it. The grooves h of the cam H may be varied in contour to vary the swinging of the guide for the purpose of varying the pattern. If

swiveling arms G pivoted thereto.

however all the arms are connected to the links at g or at 9*. half of their number will move outward while the other half move inward, the outwardly and inwardly moving arms being arranged in alternation. The thread w passes from the lower bobbin to a fixed guide eye 9 in the underside of the pivot on which the arm swivels and thence to the guide eye G.

Inthe arrangement shown in Figs. 7 to 10 the rotary lower bobbin carrier A is constructed as previously described with the The revolving cam ring D is made with a single throw to the cam by which all the swinging arms are operated simultaneously. An operating ring K is mounted on the bobbin carrier A which rotates with the carrier and to which a limited movement 1s glven by the cam in addition to its rotary movement. To the slide g which is moved to and fro by the cam a bell crank lever M isconnected by the link we and the lever M engages a pin is on the operating ring K. The inward or outward movement of the slide 9' by the cam D moves the ring K to and fro relatively to the carrier A while rotating with it. Each of the swinging arms G is connected by a link 9 with the operating ring K, a pin is at the end ofthe link engaging an inclined slot is in the ring The rotation of the ring K on the bottom bobbin carrier A consequently operates all the swinging arms simultaneously and synchronously.

The ring K may be duplicated, both being operated by the same cam, one ring moving certain of the arms, and the other ring operated by a separate bellcrank, moving the remainder, to varythe' pattern.

in substitution for the cam E of Figs. 1 and 2 the operatingring K carries a number of vertically moving cams. N which are raised and lowered by the rotary movement of the operating ring K by a pin 7?. engaging an inclined slotor cam face n in the edge of the ring. The sliding pins or fingers d on the cam ring D which engage with and carry around the top bobbin carriers on the race 6 are moved out of engage- "both cams and ment with the carriers to allow the lower threads wto pass behind them,by the cams N when they are raised by the movement of the operating ring IQ and are moved back into engagement with the bobbin carriers by a spiral spring (Z as clearly shown in Fig. 11.

The guide eye G at the end of the arm maybe of any suitable shape and may be extended in the form of a tube or curved guide plate to enter the recess or indentation 7) in the annular race Z) and prevent the thread coming into contact therewith.

7 With the swinging arm G or G as the case may be, working on an inclined axis symmetrically located relatively to the two positions of the guide arm and having the same angular relation to the thread in either position of said arm, the thread is uniformly tensioned by the guide arm in any position thereof.

In operation the upper and lower bobbins revolve around the central pillar of the machine in opposite directions, the swinging guide arms G or G and thread eyes Gr carry the threads 03 from the lower bobbin alternately-or as desiredbehind the upper bobbins the threads 00 being carried into the recesses b in the annular race 6 between the driving pins or fingers d, these pins or fingers being moved in and out to avoid the thread by the cam or cam surface with which they engage.

'What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. In a braiding machine, the combination of a cupshaped carrier for a lower set of bobbins having an annular race thereon and provided with vertical slits, a set of upper carriers for an upper set of bobbins mounted to slide on said race, a cam, gearing for rotating said cam and said cupshaped carrier in opposite directions, a plurality of driving pins for each carrier of said set slidab'ly mounted on said cam, a stationary cam for controlling the projection and retraction of said pins, and vibratory thread guides operated by said rotatable cam for moving the threads of the lower bobbins in the slits of the cup-shaped carrier, said cup-shaped carrier inclosing the driving gearing for the rotatable cam.

2. In a braiding machine, the combination of a cup-shaped carrier for a lower set of bobbins, said carrier having an annular race thereon and being provided with vertical slits, a set of carriers for an upper set of bobbins mounted to slide on said race, a cam, gearing for rotating said cam and said cup-shaped carrier in opposite directions, a plurality of driving pins for each carrier of said set slidably mounted on said cam, a stationary post extending through said cupshaped carrier and said cam, a stationary cam fixed on said post for projecting and retracting said pins and vibratory thread guides operated by said rotatable cam for moving the threads of the loWer bobbins in the slits of the carrier, said cup-shaped carrier inclosing both cams and the gearing for driving the rotatable cam.

3. In a braiding machine in combination, a central vertical post, a cup-shaped carrier for a lower set of bobbins rotatably mounted on said post, driving means for said carrier, a set of carriers for an upper set of bobbins, vibratory thread guides mounted on said cup-shaped carrier for directing the threads of the lower bobbins relatively to the threads from the upper bobbins, a cam for operating said thread guides, gearing for driving said cam from said cup-shaped carrier but in an opposite direction thereof, a plurality of driving pins for each carrier of said set slidably mounted on said arm, and a stationary cam for controlling the projection and retraction of said pins, the said cupshaped carrier inclosing said rotatable cam and the gearing for driving the same.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of the subscribing Witnesses.

A. HOPKINSON.

Witnesses:

ERNALD SIMPSON MOSELEY, MALCOLM SMETHURST, J. OWDEN OBRIEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D, O. 

